Drive-chain



A. F. KULL.

DRIVE CHAIN. 1 Patented Mar. 18. 1890.

(ModeL) N. M71513. mumm. wuhlmun. n. a

UNITED STATES ANDREW F. KULL,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF MARION, OHIO.

DRIVE-CHAIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 423,779, dated March 18, 1890.

Application filed May 13, 1889.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANDREW F. KULL, of Marion, in the county of Marion and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chain Links; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in drive-chain links; and it consists of a link made in the form hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

The object of my invention is to produce a detachable link, which is very simple in construction, at the same time capable of withstanding a very high strain, by so forming the link that it is composed of a single casting, having all sides of the link proper closed, and to provide one end of the link withahook, which is adapted to catch upon the flange which is formed upon the inner sides and end of the opposite end of the link from the hook, and by'which construction the links can be turned, one upon the other in either direction, and to so form the said flange and hook that they cannot be detached without first turning them at an angle to each other.

A further object of my-invention is to so construct the hooks that when the links are turned in the direction to be placed around a wheel they are locked against any sliding movement one upon the other, and to so form the hooks and flanges thatwhen turned in the opposite direction they can be freely moved one upon the other, in order to enable them to be turned at an angle to each other and thereby detached.

Figure 1 is a perspective of a link which embodies my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on the line X X of Fig. 1, one of the links being shown as turned in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2, the link turned in the opposite direction and moved upon the adjacent link in position to be detached.

The link proper consists of a rectangular Serial No. 310,545. (Modeli) bearingsurface for the hook G. Formed in- 1 tegral with the frame A, at the opposite end from the flange O, is a curved extension M, which is just suflieiently narrower than the opening in the frame A to allow it to be turned therein, as hereinafter described. This extension M curves downward from the lower side of one end of the link and then upward, having its highest portion about level with the top of the frame A, and provided with the downward and inwardly curved portion G, which forms a recess N, into which the opposite end P of the frame A fits. The end P has its under side preferablyformed convex, as shown, so as to fit in the concave inner surface of the curved extension M. Extending laterally from the corners of the portion Gare the locking and guiding lugs or projections, which rest upon the longitudinal flanges B when the link isfin the positions shown in ,dotted lines in Fig. 3, and which form a lock and prevent the links being detached until they are turned diagonally across the opening in the frame A, in which position the links can be detached.

The object of the hook, which is formed by the extension A and downwardly-extending portion G, is to permit the links to be turned, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, so as to conform with the periphery of the wheel around which it is placed, and to allow it to be turned in the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 3, to be moved laterally, as shown in dotted lines in the same figure, and then to be turned diagonally across the opening in the frame A to be detached. Another function of the hook is that when the links are'in a line, as shown in Fig. 2, they are locked against any movement one upon the other by reason of the end P abutting against the adjacent end of the other link, as will be apparent. The links are locked in this same manner against any movement one upon the other when turned at any angle in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2; but when turned in the oppo O, as it would likely do.

site direction, as shown in Fig. 3, the endP is carried out of contact with the adjacent end of the other link, and in this position the two links can be-moved one upon the other and readily detached.

It will be seen and understood from the description and drawings that the function of the flanges and lugs is merely to guide and lock the two links together, the strain coming directly upon the end of the portion G and the inner side of the end P, whereby a very strong and durable link is produced.

The only real purpose and function of the lugs D is to prevent the links from immediately dropping apart when the chain is taken from around the wheel, and should, when being handled, turn downward, as shown in Fig. 3, and slide inward off of the end flange hen the links are in an operative position, as shown in Fig. 2, it is apparent th at the hook rests upon the flange G and the links are locked again st any movement one upon the other, as before described,- and' hence the hook cannot move off the flange C, but is held thereon independent of any locking function of the lugs D. Y

Having thus described my invention, I claim- A detachable drive-chain link consisting of a rectangular open frame having a flange formed upon the inner side of one end, and flanges upon the inner sides of its sides, which connect with the end flange, and having formed upon the opposite end of the frame a hook in a line with the said frame forthe reception of the adjacent end of the adjoining link, and lugs upon the end of the hook for engaging the side flanges, whereby the links are locked when in operation against any lateral movement and guided in place when put together, substantially as shown anddescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANDREW F. KULL. Witnesses:

GHARs. KINSLER, J 1 J OHN IEHNER, J r. 

